Donald Satz wrote:

>When I was a youngster in the 1950's, Liszt's symphonic poems, especially
>Les Preludes, were programmed often on the radio and concerts.  My dad also
>played them frequently at home.
>
>I don't know the reason for their decline in popularity which I think
>coincided with the 1960's, the Vietnam War, rebellion of youth, and a
>greater sense of keying on substance, not form.

I am not sure what you mean by substance in this instance.  However in
the past the term has been used here to mean something that is lyrical
and I thing there is plenty of that in the piece.

>Perhaps Liszt's symphonic poems were considered too flashy and shallow.
>Not being a Liszt fan, I really have no idea, but I'm trying to live with
>the loss.

Liszt may have been flashy.  But I would prefer to call it more of a rough
edge much akin to what one finds in Beethoven.  Hence I am surprised that
someone could like the latter and not the former.

Both composers made mistakes.  I have heard that there is a supposed
miscalculation by Liszt in Les Preludes.  This is about two thirds way
through where there is a sudden re-entry of brass.  The supposition is
that this is out of place.

Bob Draper
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